 29 Jun 2009 |
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Record sales of a legend
Shan Radcliffe, Retail editor retailnews@bizcommunity.com Responses to this column welcomed in our new online editor's column archive. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net. Top stories
RetailImpact of electricity hike on commercial property The National Energy Regulator of South Africa's (Nersa) approval of a 31.3% electricity price hike last week will have a significant impact on the owners of commercial property in South Africa, and by extension, their tenants. This is according to Rennie Property, South African specialist commercial property management company. Read more >>Price of petrol to increaseSouth Africans will not only have to plan their budget for a large electricity increase and unchanged interest rates but an increase in the price of petrol too. Read more >>Tshwane buildings on offerAlliance Group will be bringing two well situated commercial properties to the auction floor on 15 July 2009. Read more >>Eskom granted 31.3% tariff hike[Neo Semono] The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has granted power utility Eskom a 31.3% interim tariff hike. Read more >>CPI falls to 8%[Neo Semono] The Consumer Price Index, used to measure inflation, dropped to an expected 8% in May, reported Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Wednesday, and economists believe this trend is likely to continue. Read more >>Cross-selling's time has come[Michael Dadoun] If customers are approached in the right way and at the right time, cross-selling can be a breeze. The trick is to understand the customers' needs and present them with the right solution when they're most likely to be receptive to your suggestion. Cross-selling mistakes, on the other hand, can jeopardise the entire sale. Read more >>Minister opposed to Eskom price increase applicationMinister of Energy Dipuo Peters is opposed to Eskom's application for she calls “a large tariff increase” as it's expected to negatively impact on the poor, especially during the current difficult economic times. Read more >>Rodel lands hot seat at Hyprop[Thabang Mokopanele] Retail-focused Hyprop Investments has announced the appointment of Mike Rodel as CEO with effect from August, to oversee the completion of the company's R663m expansion programme launched last year. Read more >>Banking & FinanceRepo rate remains unchanged[Neo Semono] South Africans will be disappointed that the streak of interest rate cuts over the past few months has come to an end, with the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) announcing that the repo rate will remain unchanged. Read more >>FNB Insurance Brokers appoints new CEO FNB Insurance Brokers on Tuesday, 23 June 2009, announced the appointment of Johan Nagel as its new chief executive. Read more >>Economists predict repo rate cut[Neo Semono] Economists predict the South African Reserve Bank (SARB)'s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is likely to announce a 50 basis point cut in the repo rate, when it meets this week. Read more >>Brand newsTotal beverage volume up, emissions to go down - SABMiller Brewer SABMiller on Friday, 26 June 2009, said its board had recommended a final dividend of 42 US cents per share to be paid to shareholders on 28 August. Read more >>Sweden's H&M reports profits up STOCKHOLM: Swedish cheap'n'chic clothing group H&M bucked the retail gloom on Thursday, announcing a rise in its second-quarter net profit on the back of better-than-expected sales in Japan and Russia. Read more >>Oral-B launches anti-bacterial toothbrush Oral-B, one of the world's leading oral care brands, is launching a new range of toothbrushes with Anti-Bacterial Bristle Protection, a technology which inhibits bacterial growth on bristles for up to three months (90 days). Read more >>Premium brandy launches mature new look 100 Reserve vintage brandy is relaunching with a brand new look to highlight the unique authenticity of the brand. Produced by Oude Molen, the smooth, oak-matured premium brandy is described as dynamic and progressive. Read more >>No more fake colours for Smarties [ActivRetail] Nestlé South Africa is relaunching its popular Smarties brand - this time made with non-artificial colours. Read more >>Corporate Social InvestmentWhy green is the new black[Jacquie Myburgh] Eco-friendly fashion isn't just about eco-friendly fabrics. Read more >>e-CommerceThe top 5 to-dos before kicking off your e-commerce project[Gord Janzen] Successfully kicking off a major e-commerce project can make you a superstar in your firm, but the path to victory is strewn with the wreckage of thousands of ventures that didn't fare quite so well. Taking into account a long list of historic hits and misses, here are five tactics that will help you stack the odds in your favour. Read more >>ExhibitionsDior, Lanvin offer men new fashion freedomPARIS: Style-setters Dior and Lanvin broke new ground for men at Paris Fashion Week on Sunday, 28 June 2009, offering a looser look aimed at liberating men from strict dress codes and fashion uniforms. Read more >>Designers in race to frock it [Gabisile Ndebele] The Durban July is a week away, but the race is already on for local designers to conjure up frocks for celebs and socialites in line with the unusual theme — “The Games People Play”. Read more >>Showcase for new East Cape designers [Eleanor Douglas-Meyers] Designers and crafters are getting ready to show their wares at the first ever Eastern Cape Fashion Week. The fashion week is the brainchild of Port Elizabeth fashion designer Xoliswa Hudson who says she hopes to attract attention to local talent. Read more >>A battle of the beers is on the brew [Sipho Masondo] A beer battle is brewing at the annual Kirkwood Wildlife Festival, which takes place in the Eastern Cape town from 26 - 28 June 2009. Read more >>HospitalityTechnicalities keep some EL pubs unlicensed[Babalo Ndenze] Patrons who checked liquor licence lists and thought their favourite drinking hole was about to run dry can rest easy. Read more >>Cape Town to get its first ‘fashion' hotel [Julius Baumann] Cape Town is to get its first lifestyle, or fashion, hotel when Rezidor opens an upmarket Missoni hotel in the city centre in the middle of next year. Read more >>Chefs invited to explore the flavours of Africa Sunday Times and Foodcorp are inviting South African chefs to explore the flavours of Africa with the 2009 Food Awards at Foodcorp's new innovation centre, The 7th Floor, situated in Black River Park, Observatory, Cape Town on 2 and 3 September 2009. Read more >>Import/ExportAfrica's trading blocs seek new partnership to boost exportsNAIROBI: Africa's regional trading blocs have developed a new strategic partnership to boost the continent's exports. Read more >>LogisticsTNT Express launches new slogan In order to streamline all global communications and ensure better brand recognition across the world, TNT Express recently launched its new global strap line “Sure We Can”, the company announced on Friday, 26 June 2009. Read more >>Transnet sees lower net profit Transport parastatal Transnet posted a net profit of R4.528 billion for the year ended March, which was marginally lower than last year's profit of R4.530 billion. Read more >>Manufacturing50,000 garment workers protest wage cutsDHAKA, BANGLADESH: Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas on Sunday as some 50,000 garment workers staged protests over wage cuts near the Bangladeshi capital, officials said. Read more >>PPI slows in MayThe Producer Price Index (PPI) registered deflation of 3.0% year-on-year (y/y) in May from inflation of 2.9% y/y in April, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) data today showed. This is the ninth consecutive decrease in the producer price inflation headline number. Read more >>US$1.2m cigarette company to open in Malawi[Gregory Gondwe] In a move to add value to Malawi's green gold, the tobacco crop, a local investor has said a cigarette manufacturing company is to go full throttle into manufacturing business in two months time. Read more >>PackagingSignificant success of plastic bag rulesThe success of the plastic bag regulations could be measured by the significant reduction in the number of flat carrier bags used by consumers since 2003, Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said Monday, 22 June 2009. Read more >>RegulatoryPioneer Foods appears before Competition TribunalPioneer Foods said on Thursday, 25 June 2009, that it had appeared before the Competition Tribunal to defend itself against complaint referrals on allegations of anti-competitive behaviour in the Western Cape, and of participating in a national bread cartel. Read more >>Trade watchdog raids cement producers[Bheki Mpofu] The Competition Commission has raided the premises of several leading cement producers in an investigation into “cartel behaviour” in the building materials and construction industries, which has been accused of driving up the cost of the government's infrastructure spending programme. Read more >>Sasko chief lied about price-fixing letter[Kgomotso Mathe] After having denied any knowledge or participation in the bread price-fixing scandal during the hearing on Monday, Sasko's GM for the baking division, Andries (Charl) Goosen, on Tuesday, 23 June 2009, admitted to lying to the Competition Tribunal regarding the date on which the issue of collusion was brought to his attention. Read more >>Pioneer denies price fixing allegationsThe decision to increase Sasko's bread price was based on operational costs and not the result of price fixing by a cartel, the Competition Tribunal heard on Tuesday, 23 June 2009. Read more >>Obama signs historic tobacco lawWASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama on Monday, 22 June 2009, signed a bill into law giving the government historic powers to curb cigarette makers, declaring the move emblematic of the change he is bringing to Washington. Read more >>ResearchCrisis saps taste for chocolate ZURICH: The economic crisis is taking its toll on chocolate consumption, Swiss chocolate and cocoa products giant Barry Callebaut said Thursday, 25 June 2009, as it announced moderate growth in nine month sales. Read more >>SA telecommunication costs still high[Nthambeleni Gabara] An Independent benchmark study, commissioned by the Department of Communications has found that telecommunications costs in the country are still way too high in comparison to other countries. Read more >>Retail marketingFlog it for freeJunk Mail, ostensibly South Africa's leading classified publication, is moving with the times in light of the recent global economic downturn. For the past 12 years, Junk Mail has been exclusively offered as a paid service to its subscribers, but is now implementing a 'no more subscriptions, no more payments' initiative. Read more >>Retail servicesEconomic crisis advances the case for SaaSSoftware as a Service (SaaS) is nothing new, but the current economic climate is a bit of an unpleasant novelty that may just add impetus to the remote application delivery model. Read more >>User experience is key to customer retentionIn the current economic downturn, the cumulative cost of lost customers and failed sales can be incalculable - yet many businesses still hesitate to take steps that would significantly reduce these risks. Read more >>RetailersAdventure mega store opens in Canal Walk Amidst the doom and gloom of the current global recession, Cape Union Mart is aiming to capitalise on the opportunities created by the FIFA 2010 World Cup and the economic potential of South Africa with the launch of its massive 2,200m² standalone “pod” at the Canal Walk Shopping Centre in Cape Town, which officially opened its doors on Friday, 26 June 2009. Read more >>Ikea has cut 5,000 jobs due to economic crisisSTOCKHOLM: Swedish furniture giant Ikea has cut 5,000 jobs worldwide due to the global economic crisis but expects to post record sales nonetheless, its chief told a Swedish newspaper on Tuesday, 23 June 2009. Read more >>Failing firms mark East London's malls [Thanduxolo Jika] Failing businesses in East London's shopping malls have raised concerns about the viability of retailers in the city. Read more >>SecurityTicket fraudsters will be punished [Proffesor Ndawonde] Local Organising Committee Chairperson, Irvin Khoza, has warned those who have been duplicating FIFA Confederations Cup tickets, that they will face the might of the law. Read more >>Supply chainDept sponsors top farmer with R3mil hatchery[Vuyolwethu Sangotsha] The Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has sponsored the reigning National Female Farmer of the Year, Bongiwe Kali, with a hatchery worth R3 million. Read more >>Sovereign Food makes recoverySovereign Food Holdings said on Monday, 22 June 2009, that it has had a very significant recovery in the first quarter of the year as a result of improved volume throughput and improved poultry prices. Read more >>TechnologyTalking to screen cuts costsRetailer Pick n Pay has reduced the number of flights it makes by more than 20% since it set up video conferencing facilities at its head offices 18 months ago, saving on costs during the downturn and helping to lower its carbon footprint. Read more >>Competition key to cutting telecoms costs[Lesley Stones] True competition rather than government intervention is the most successful way to cut the cost of telecommunications, industry watchers believe. Read more >>Super surfing with Samsung Jet Samsung Jet's smartphone-like features aims to take handsets to the realms of being ‘smarter than a smartphone'. Read more >>US urges China to drop filter ruleWASHINGTON: The United States ramped up pressure on China Wednesday, 24 June 2009, to drop a new requirement for all computers to carry Internet filtering software, fearing it was a means for censorship. Read more >>Intel forms alliance with NokiaWASHINGTON: US semiconductor giant Intel and Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia announced on Tuesday, 23 June 2009, that they had entered into a "strategic relationship" to develop futuristic mobile computing devices. Read more >>TrainingTrio takes 2009 Patrick Grubb wine-making bursary Three promising winemakers have been selected as the recipients of this year's Patrick Grubb Bursary. The successful candidates, Nico Fischer of Simonsig, Andrew Williams of Steenberg and M'Daan Pieterse of Overgaauw will be given the opportunity to complete their tenures in the vineyards of some of the world's finest wine regions. Read more >>
Retail servicesHertz Reaches for a Dream... - Hertz Rent a CarIn an effort to spread some meaningful cheer in our currently turbulent times, Hertz Rent a Car is upping the ante on its CSR initiatives in 2009, starting with the Reach for a Dream Foundation. Read more >>TechnologyAlcon set to boost sales with roll-out of Tracer CQM - Tracer CQM and Sofware International Alcon Laboratories has implemented Tracer CQM, a locally developed mobile sales efficiency solution, to enhance its sales effectiveness and customer relationship managment. Read more >>
 
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